scholarly journals Emerging viral infectious disease threat: Why Tanzania is not in a safe zone

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chacha D. Mangu ◽  
Christina K. Manyama ◽  
Henry Msila ◽  
Lwitiho Sudi ◽  
Godlove Chaula ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Early Response ◽  
Emerging Diseases ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Viral Infectious Disease ◽  
The Government

Emerging diseases are global threat towards human existence. Every country is exposed to potentially emergence of infectious diseases. Several factor such as changes in ecology, climate and human demographics play different roles in a complex mechanism contributing to the occurrence of infectious diseases. Important aspects towards control in case of outbreaks are surveillance, preparedness and early response. Tanzania should therefore take opportunity of the calm situation currently present, to prepare. Except for HIV/AIDS, Tanzania has not experienced a major public health threat. However, the question is, is the country safe from emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases? In this article we try to explore the danger of emerging infectious disease (EID) epidemics in Tanzania and the risks attached if an outbreak is to occur. The aim is to formulate recommendations to the government, responsible authorities and general population of what can be done to improve the level of EID preparedness in the country. In conclusion, it is important to strengthen the capacity of community and healthcare staffs on how to respond to potential infectious disease outbreaks. Community-based surveillance systems should be incorporated into the national systems for early detection of public health events. It is also critical to enhance one health approach to increase cross-sectoral information sharing, surveillance and interventional strategies as regards to preparedness and response to disease outbreaks.

scholarly journals Uganda Mountain Community Health System—Perspectives and Capacities towards Emerging Infectious Disease Surveillance

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 8562
Author(s):  
Aggrey Siya ◽  
Richardson Mafigiri ◽  
Richard Migisha ◽  
Rebekah C. Kading
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Disease Response ◽  
Mount Elgon ◽  
Public Health Hazards

In mountain communities like Sebei, Uganda, which are highly vulnerable to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, community-based surveillance plays an important role in the monitoring of public health hazards. In this survey, we explored capacities of village health teams (VHTs) in Sebei communities of Mount Elgon in undertaking surveillance tasks for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases in the context of a changing climate. We used participatory epidemiology techniques to elucidate VHTs’ perceptions on climate change and public health and assessed their capacities to conduct surveillance for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Overall, VHTs perceived climate change to be occurring with wider impacts on public health. However, they had inadequate capacities in collecting surveillance data. The VHTs lacked transport to navigate through their communities and had insufficient capacities in using mobile phones for sending alerts. They did not engage in reporting other hazards related to the environment, wildlife, and domestic livestock that would accelerate infectious disease outbreaks. Records were not maintained for disease surveillance activities and the abilities of VHTs to analyze data were also limited. However, VHTs had access to platforms that could enable them to disseminate public health information. The VHTs thus need to be retooled to conduct their work effectively and efficiently through equipping them with adequate logistics and knowledge on collecting, storing, analyzing, and relaying data, which will improve infectious disease response and mitigation efforts.

scholarly journals Laboratory-Guided Detection of Disease Outbreaks: Three Generations of Surveillance Systems

2009 ◽  
Vol 133 (6) ◽  
pp. 916-925 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vitali Sintchenko ◽  
Blanca Gallego
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Decision Support ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Public Health Monitoring ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Publication Language

Abstract Context.—Traditional biothreat surveillance systems are vulnerable to incomplete and delayed reporting of public health threats. Objective.—To review current and emerging approaches to detection and monitoring of biothreats enabled by laboratory methods of diagnosis and to identify trends in the biosurveillance research. Data Sources.—PubMed (1995 to December 2007) was searched with the combined search terms “surveillance” and “infectious diseases.” Additional articles were identified by hand searching the bibliographies of selected papers. Additional search terms were “public health,” “disease monitoring,” “cluster,” “outbreak,” “laboratory notification,” “molecular,” “detection,” “evaluation,” “genomics,” “communicable diseases,” “geographic information systems,” “bioterrorism,” “genotyping,” and “informatics.” Publication language was restricted to English. The bibliographies of key references were later hand searched to identify articles missing in the database search. Three approaches to infectious disease surveillance that involve clinical laboratories are contrasted: (1) laboratory-initiated infectious disease notifications, (2) syndromic surveillance based on health indicators, and (3) genotyping based surveillance of biothreats. Advances in molecular diagnostics enable rapid genotyping of biothreats and investigations of genes that were not previously identifiable by traditional methods. There is a need for coordination between syndromic and laboratory-based surveillance. Insufficient and delayed decision support and inadequate integration of surveillance signals into action plans remain the 2 main barriers to efficient public health monitoring and response. Decision support for public health users of biosurveillance alerts is often lacking. Conclusions.—The merger of the 3 scientific fields of surveillance, genomics, and informatics offers an opportunity for the development of effective and rapid biosurveillance methods and tools.

scholarly journals Emerging infectious disease and the challenges of social distancing in human and non-human animals

2020 ◽  
Vol 287 (1932) ◽  
pp. 20201039 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea K. Townsend ◽  
Dana M. Hawley ◽  
Jessica F. Stephenson ◽  
Keelah E. G. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Social Behaviour ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Group Living ◽  
Emerging Diseases ◽  
Behavioural Plasticity ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Animals

The ‘social distancing’ that occurred in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in humans provides a powerful illustration of the intimate relationship between infectious disease and social behaviour in animals. Indeed, directly transmitted pathogens have long been considered a major cost of group living in humans and other social animals, as well as a driver of the evolution of group size and social behaviour. As the risk and frequency of emerging infectious diseases rise, the ability of social taxa to respond appropriately to changing infectious disease pressures could mean the difference between persistence and extinction. Here, we examine changes in the social behaviour of humans and wildlife in response to infectious diseases and compare these responses to theoretical expectations. We consider constraints on altering social behaviour in the face of emerging diseases, including the lack of behavioural plasticity, environmental limitations and conflicting pressures from the many benefits of group living. We also explore the ways that social animals can minimize the costs of disease-induced changes to sociality and the unique advantages that humans may have in maintaining the benefits of sociality despite social distancing.

Preventing Zoonotic Emerging Disease Outbreaks: The Need to Complement One Health with Ethical Considerations

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Angela K. Martin ◽  
Salome Dürr
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
One Health ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Human Animal

Abstract Human encroachment on the habitats of wild animals and the dense living conditions of farmed animals increase spill-over risk of emerging infectious diseases from animals to humans (such as COVID-19). In this article, we defend two claims: First, we argue that in order to limit the risk of emerging infectious disease outbreaks in the future, a One Health approach is needed, which focuses on human, animal, and environmental health. Second, we claim that One Health should not solely be grounded in collaborations between veterinary, medical, and environmental scientists, but should also involve more dialogue with animal and environmental ethicists. Such an interdisciplinary approach would result in epidemiology-driven measures that are ethically legitimate.

scholarly journals Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases: Humankind’s Companions and Competitors

2022 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 98
Author(s):  
Nikolaos Spernovasilis ◽  
Sotirios Tsiodras ◽  
Garyphallia Poulakou
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Human History ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks

Infectious disease outbreaks had a significant impact on shaping the societies and cultures throughout human history [...]

Public Health Surveillance System

2021 ◽  
pp. 201-220
Author(s):  
Manish Kumar Dwivedi ◽  
Suvashish Kumar Pandey ◽  
Prashant Kumar Singh
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Surveillance System ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Performance Measure ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Global Coverage ◽  
Public Health Surveillance System

To guard people against some grave infectious disease, the surveillance system is a key performance measure of global public health threats and vulnerability. The diseases surveillance system helps in public health monitor, control, and prevent infectious diseases. Infectious diseases remain major causes of death. It's important to monitor and surveillance worldwide for developing a framework for risk assessment and health regulation. Surveillance systems help us in understanding the factors driving infectious disease and developing new technological aptitudes with modeling, pathogen determination, characterization, diagnostics, and communications. This chapter discussed surveillance system working, progress toward global public healthy society considering perspectives for the future and improvement of infectious disease surveillance without limited and fragmented capabilities, and making even global coverage.

scholarly journals Detecting Emerging Infectious Diseases: An Overview of the Laboratory Response Network for Biological Threats

2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (2_suppl) ◽  
pp. 16S-21S ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Villanueva ◽  
Beth Schweitzer ◽  
Marcella Odle ◽  
Tricia Aden
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Data Entry ◽  
Disease Outbreak ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreak ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
Response Network ◽  
Biosecurity Practices

The Laboratory Response Network (LRN) was established in 1999 to ensure an effective laboratory response to high-priority public health threats. The LRN for biological threats (LRN-B) provides a laboratory infrastructure to respond to emerging infectious diseases. Since 2012, the LRN-B has been involved in 3 emerging infectious disease outbreak responses. We evaluated the LRN-B role in these responses and identified areas for improvement. LRN-B laboratories tested 1097 specimens during the 2014 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus outbreak, 180 specimens during the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak, and 92 686 specimens during the 2016-2017 Zika virus outbreak. During the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak, the LRN-B uncovered important gaps in biosafety and biosecurity practices. During the 2016-2017 Zika outbreak, the LRN-B identified the data entry bottleneck as a hindrance to timely reporting of results. Addressing areas for improvement may help LRN-B reference laboratories improve the response to future public health emergencies.

MODELING INFECTIOUS OUTBREAKS IN NON-HOMOGENEOUS POPULATIONS

2011 ◽  
Vol 19 (04) ◽  
pp. 591-606 ◽  
Author(s):  
JORGE REYES-SILVEYRA ◽  
ARMIN R. MIKLER ◽  
JUSTIN ZHAO ◽  
ANGEL BRAVO-SALGADO
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Computational Models ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Emerging Diseases ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Realistic Approach

Emerging diseases, novel strains of reemerging diseases, and bioterrorism threats necessitate the development of computational models that can supply health care providers with tools to facilitate analysis and simulation of the progression of infectious diseases in a population. Most computational models assume homogeneous mixing within populations. However, a more realistic approach to the simulation of infectious disease outbreaks includes the stratification of populations in which the interactions between individuals are affinity-based. To examine the effects of heterogeneous populations on the outbreak dynamics, we developed a hybrid model that includes clustered individuals which represent differentiated populations. This facilitates the study of the effects of distinct behavioral properties on the dynamics of an infectious disease epidemic. Our results indicate that non-uniform interactions and affinity-driven behavior can drastically change the outbreak dynamics in the population.

scholarly journals Using network theory to identify the causes of disease outbreaks of unknown origin

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (81) ◽  
pp. 20120904 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiffany L. Bogich ◽  
Sebastian Funk ◽  
Trent R. Malcolm ◽  
Nok Chhun ◽  
Jonathan H. Epstein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Nipah Virus ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
Unknown Origin ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Predictive Values ◽  
Rapid Responses ◽  
Causes Of Disease

The identification of undiagnosed disease outbreaks is critical for mobilizing efforts to prevent widespread transmission of novel virulent pathogens. Recent developments in online surveillance systems allow for the rapid communication of the earliest reports of emerging infectious diseases and tracking of their spread. The efficacy of these programs, however, is inhibited by the anecdotal nature of informal reporting and uncertainty of pathogen identity in the early stages of emergence. We developed theory to connect disease outbreaks of known aetiology in a network using an array of properties including symptoms, seasonality and case-fatality ratio. We tested the method with 125 reports of outbreaks of 10 known infectious diseases causing encephalitis in South Asia, and showed that different diseases frequently form distinct clusters within the networks. The approach correctly identified unknown disease outbreaks with an average sensitivity of 76 per cent and specificity of 88 per cent. Outbreaks of some diseases, such as Nipah virus encephalitis, were well identified (sensitivity = 100%, positive predictive values = 80%), whereas others (e.g. Chandipura encephalitis) were more difficult to distinguish. These results suggest that unknown outbreaks in resource-poor settings could be evaluated in real time, potentially leading to more rapid responses and reducing the risk of an outbreak becoming a pandemic.

scholarly journals Big Data, Algorithmic Governmentality and the Regulation of Pandemic Risk

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 94-115
Author(s):  
Stephen L ROBERTS
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Big Data ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Infectious Disease Surveillance ◽  
Novel Technologies ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
The Government ◽  
Processing Techniques

This article investigates the rise of algorithmic disease surveillance systems as novel technologies of risk analysis utilised to regulate pandemic outbreaks in an era of big data. Critically, the article demonstrates how intensified efforts towards harnessing big data and the application of algorithmic processing techniques to enhance the real-time surveillance and regulation infectious disease outbreaks significantly transform practices of global infectious disease surveillance; observed through the advent of novel risk rationalities which underpin the deployment of intensifying algorithmic practices to increasingly colonise and patrol emergent topographies of data in order to identify and govern the emergence of exceptional pathogenic risks. Conceptually, this article asserts further howthe rise of these novel risk regulating technologies within a context of big data transforms the government and forecasting of epidemics and pandemics: illustrated by the rise of emergent algorithmic governmentalties of risk within contemporary contexts of big data, disease surveillance and the regulation of pandemic.

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